Middle East > United Arab Emirates > Dubai
Dubai
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Middle East > United Arab Emirates > Dubai -->
Dubai (دبي) is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is rather like an independent city-state and is the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE. 
[edit] UnderstandA relatively new tourist destination, Dubai has gained in popularity in recent years. It is essentially a desert city with superb infrastructure, liberal policies (by regional standards), and excellent tourist amenities. Just 5 hrs from Europe and 3 hrs from most parts of the Middle East, the Near East, and the sub-continent of India, Dubai makes a great short break for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining, sporting events, and even a few sinful pleasures. It is a city of superlatives: for the fastest, biggest, tallest, largest and highest, Dubai is the destination. The weekly day off is on Friday. Note that, since September 2006, a harmonised weekend of Friday and Saturday has been adopted for the public sector and schools. Government departments, multi-national companies, and most schools and universities are now off on Friday and Saturday (after years of a mixed bag of Friday/Saturday and Thursday/Friday weekends). Some local companies still work a half day on Thursday with a full-day on Saturday. [edit] ClimateThe city of Dubai is situated on a coastal strip bordered by desert and gets very hot. It is dry on the hottest days and humid during the cooler days in the summer. Cooler, more pleasant weather lasts from the end of September to beginning of May (although note that pleasant is relative, which daily temperatures from October to January and March to May still being in the lower 20s Celsius/70s Farenheit), but be prepared for cold night temperatures. In winter the temperature at night is usually from 10-16 Celsius (50-60 Farenheit). In May, June, July, August and September, the sun is intense and temperatures can touch 45 degrees Celsius in the city and even higher in the desert! The heat coupled with humidity of 60-70 near the coast effectively precludes most activity outdoors for the daylight hours during summer. December to April generally produces the highest precipitation, which at 10 cm (5 in) still isn't much. Some years yield no more than a few minutes of shower in Dubai. November 2006 brought record rains up to 50 cm of rain with temperatures going down to record lows. [edit] Get in[edit] By planeDubai has several airports to consider. Frequent visitors from countries granted automatic visa on entry may wish to purchase an e-gate card to speed up immigration formalities and save passport pages. The e-gate card office is situated in the upstairs foodcourt area of the departures concourse. The card will cost AED 150. Note: If you intend to buy an e-gate card in Dubai, you must have entered UAE via Dubai airport. [edit] Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport (DXB) [1] is the largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of the Dubai's flag carrier EmiratesEmirates. In fact, it's grown at such a furious pace that the present terminals are bursting at the seams, especially during the peak hours around midnight — immigration lines can be long and it can be difficult to find a place to sit. The opening of Emirates' dedicated Terminal 3, planned for May 2008, should ease things considerably. The airport is famous for its duty free shopping duty-free shopping. Alcohol is also available at an inbound duty free store situated in the baggage reclaim area. The allowance is 4 bottles (or four 6 packs) per person. Most visitors will opt for public taxis from the airport, readily available just outside arrivals, which use the meter and start at Dhs 20. If you already know your way around the city or are continuing elsewhere, you may also want to opt for buses 401 and 402 (Dhs 3), which go to the Al Sabkha and Al Ghubaiba bus terminals respectively. The Dubai Metro, planned to open in 2009, will have a station at the airport. [edit] Sharjah International AirportSharjah International Airport (SHJ) [2]is located in the emirate of Sharjah. It is only half an hour by road from Dubai and is taking an increasing number of international flights as Dubai airport struggles to keep up with demand. The principal carrier here is Air ArabiaAir Arabia, a low-cost carrier serving the Middle East and South Asia. A taxi ride to Dubai will typically cost Dhs 50. The airport is fairly basic but is being expanded. [edit] Maktoum InternationalMaktoum International (JXB), formerly "Dubai World Central", is gigantic — by some measures the world's largest — airport under construction on the west side of Dubai. It will start taking cargo flights in 2008, but passenger services are still a few years away. [edit] By carDubai's only international road border is with Oman at Al Wajajah. Expatriate residents of Oman will require an official permit to exit Oman by road. Visitors do not require the permit. There is an OMR 3.000 charge per vehicle to exit Oman and, if returning, retain the charge receipt as it will be required to reenter. Ensure that insurance is valid for the UAE (preferably before commencing the journey). Temporary UAE insurance can be purchased at the border for a premium price.
[edit] By boatDubai is a trading hub for dhows from around the Indian Ocean. Travellers wanting to arrive in the city this way will probably need to make their own arrangements with the captain of the vessel. From Iran: a boat service by Valfajr Shipping Company [3] leaves Bandar-e-Lengeh (and also bandar abbas) supposedly every second day and docks in Port Rashid in Dubai. It returns to Bandar-e-Lengeh (and also bandar abbas) the following day. Crossing the Persian Gulf takes roughly 6 hours, and a two way ticket costs as of February 2008 USD 88 (IR 950,000). The ticket includes lunch (Iranian style). Using this service requires a 3 month visa which costs IR 1,550,000. [edit] Get around[edit] By taxiTaxis ply the streets of Dubai and are usually difficult to find. Easiest place to find them is at the taxi queue at one of the malls. Waving down a taxi on the road is next to impossible. During most parts of the day, demand far exceeds supply, and not only are taxis hard to find, but those who deign to pick you up may refuse short rides in congested areas. The standard of driving in Dubai ranges from poor to wild - taxis are some of the worst on the roads. Taxis are metered at AED 1.60/km, so no haggling is necessary. The rates of all taxi companies — Dubai Transport, National, Cars, Metro, and Arabian — are identical, so just take the first one that comes along. From the airport, there is a standing charge of AED 20; all other street pickups attract a standing charge of AED 3.00 during the day, 3.50 at night (10 PM-6AM). If you can't find one otherwise, you can attempt to call a taxi at 2080808, but the service works rather poorly — booked taxis often never arrive — and there's a surcharge of AED 3 to boot. If you absolutely have to get somewhere at a certain time (say, the airport or a meeting), it's best to book a hotel taxi in advance, and get their estimate of how bad the traffic will be. If you are going to a mall in Dubai, be prepared to stand for at least an hour in the queue just to get a taxi. A better way is to try and use the bus. [edit] By busDubai Public transport [4] is a cheaper means of traveling within the several districts in Dubai. A map of the bus system can be found online[5]. Public buses are clean and cheap, but unfortunately not very comprehensive and (on some routes) quite infrequent. The bus system is most useful for getting between different areas of central Dubai, or between the various suburbs, rather than general transport. Taxis or a fair amount of walking will also be required if you wish to visit Dubai without a car of your own. The main bus stations are Gold Souq Market (in Deira) and Al Ghubaiba bus station (in Bur Dubai). The fare for an in-town is usually 1.50 AED, up to 3.00 AED for an hour-long ride to the suburbs. Clear route maps and time-tables are placed inside a few bus stands. Ramadan timings differ. The front seats are reserved for women. Probably the single most useful service for the casual tourist is Line 8, which starts at the Gold Souq, takes the tunnel under the Creek to Heritage Village, and then sets off down Jumeirah Rd (just behind the beach) and all its hotels and malls, up to Burj al-Arab and Wild Wadi. Line 8 terminates near the Internet City, while its 8A variant goes down a little further and also serves the Mall of the Emirates. Bus services are also available to other emirates (at Al Ghubaiba), and to Oman. For a good, hop on - hop off, type tour try the Big Bus Company [6]. It runs two routes; the blue route through Jumeirah and the recently constructed areas, and the red route centering on the older parts of Dubai. The hub for both routes is Wafi City mall, and an 175 AED ticket covers 24 hours of riding. [edit] By carThere are a countless number of Rent-A-Cars that will provide a mode of transportation for very cheap rates and very little paperwork. An International Driving Permit is not necessarily required, but hire companies may not rent a car without one. Depending on which country you are from (UK, USA & Australian licenses are acceptable), your driving license could be used to obtain a temporary driving permit at the licensing office in the 'City Centre' shopping mall. Some agencies will hire out cars complete with drivers. Visitors taking advantage of this option will need to make certain that their driver knows his way around, as many do not. When driving on the main roads, such as Sheikh Zayed road, the junction numbers are not in logical order! Junction 13 is just after 18 and are rarely as shown on the maps. Road names can also be very confusing with slight differences in spelling (due to transliteration from Arabic) being very important. The construction work that is taking place throughout and around Dubai can make finding your destination a challenge. Temporary road layouts change with alarming regularity and temporary signs can be misleading or non existent. Driving during morning and afternoon peak hours is not recommended, as traffic slows to a standstill and even a simple trip across a bridge can take up to 45 minutes. There is also a scarcity of parking spaces in many parts of the city. With such a mixture of nationalities residing in the city, driving styles are mixed to say the least. Dangerous driving will be witnessed, or experienced, on a frequent basis; and, bear in mind that Dubai has one of the highest per capita road death rates in the world. There is zero tolerance for alcohol and driving with stiff penalties meted out, including jail and deportation. See Salik.aeSalik for information about toll to pay on certain routes in Dubai. [edit] By boat An easier way of crossing the Dubai Creek is by abra, essentially a small ferry. Abra stations are located along the Creek on both the Bur Dubai and Deira sides, and the system of filling the boats is remarkably efficient. The cross-river trip costs 1 Dirham (AED 1) per passenger, payable to the driver after the boat has left the station, and affords a very picturesque view of the city (not to be missed). Abras set off very regularly, and the service is available round-the-clock. Abras can also be hired for a private tour (for a price negotiable with the driver but usually very cheap). This is quite a popular activity at sunset on a clear day, particularly if the driver is able to enliven the tour with stories about the structures on either side of the Creek. Just make sure that the purpose of one's abra hire is made clear at the outset - otherwise you'll be in for a very expensive cross-river trip or a crowded private tour. The Creek is also the home of many boats offering more comfortable (and correspondingly more expensive) tours, often in boats designed to resemble dhows. Prices tend to the higher end of the scale, particularly for dinner cruises with on-board entertainment. [edit] By metroThe RTA (Roads Transport Authority) has embarked on an ambitious project to introduce a Metro Rail system. Construction has already commenced and the first phase is expected to be complete by late 2009. Eventually, there will more than 6 metro lines covering various Dubai developments. [edit] See[edit] Old Dubai 
[edit] Modern Dubai Don't miss Dubai's overwhelming shopping malls, listed under Buy.
[edit] Do
If interested in more fun things to do while in Dubai, a local company in Dubai called Blue BananaBlue Banana specializes in activities like racing round the autodrome in an Audi and snorkling and can be arranged before your visit to Dubai. [edit] LearnDubai has set up a free-zone Knowledge Village [12] to house institutes and universities, providing both on-line and in-class training. The city also has the American University in Dubai [13]. [edit] WorkWhile Dubai tries to promote itself as the business and entertainment capital of the world, the government has a complex and at times frustrating work permit procedure that one should not attempt on their own unless they have prior experience. Therefore, it is best to go through official channels when looking for work in Dubai as spot inspections are frequent and if found working illegally, both the employee and the employer will be subject to fines and even deportation. All the necessary forms and documents are written and processed in Arabic and is best left to a professional or a "P.R.O" to handle your paperwork. Different nationalities have different rules about changing jobs and its frequency. South Asian Nationals have to work for a minimum of 1 year before looking out for another opening elsewhere or face a 6 month ban on working in the country. Western European and North American nationals however, need not worry as this rule does not apply to them. With the price of rentals ever soaring in Dubai and neighboring Emirates, it is a good idea to discuss a housing allowance when negotiating a pay package. Despite all this, there are a few upsides, Dubai companies are generous with holidays averaging almost 39 days a year of paid vacation (including public holidays), a round trip ticket home once a year (depending on your contract) and most importantly all your earnings are 100% tax free! [edit] Buy Dubai is practically synonymous with shopping. The huge amounts of cargo passing through its port and the low tariffs ensure that practically anything is available at competitive rates. Remember to haggle in the souks, as discounts are almost always available and even in situations where the item will not become much cheaper, the customer is always expected to "play the game" of haggling. A simple question of "what's your best price?" will often result in a shop-keeper going to extraordinary lengths to sell his stock. Prices in the malls and other Western shops tend not to be negotiable. Far from being a bad thing, this allows the canny visitor to work out comparative prices for common souvenirs - an invaluable aid when a shop-keeper in a souk is asking for a higher price. Dubai Shopping Festival has been the biggest shopping event in the middle east for 11 years. Almost every shop has a sale, starting 24 January 08 and ending 24 February. [edit] Markets
[edit] Malls
TIP: Several malls have a large Carrefour, or similar, hypermarket where you'll find the lowest cost electronics, and groceries for self-catering. A Carrefour is also located near the Shindagha waterfront in Bur Dubai. [edit] EatMost of the American fast food chains have set up shop in Dubai, including KFC, Chillis, Starbucks and McDonalds. The beauty of the food in Dubai is that you will probably find cuisine for every taste. Shwarma is the most available (and cheap!) food in Dubai. It is meat that has been cooked on a skewer and then cut into thin strips and placed into a pita bread with vegetables and dressing. It costs about AED 3 (80c) for the plain-jane variety and up to AED 5 ($1.30) for the more exotic Lebanese and Iranian varities. Fala-Fil (Felafel, falafel) is also available at about the same costs as the shawarma. [edit] Budget
[edit] Mid-range
[edit] SplurgeThe top hotels in the city all have at least one restaurant serving (most commonly) some form of international cuisine - Italian, Japanese, Indian and so on. Quality tends to be high, along with price, but non-guests are able to reserve tables as well, thus allowing the rest of us to experience a bit of these hotels. [edit] DrinkDubai has several laws regarding alcohol which tourists should be aware of before visiting:
[edit] Bars
[edit] Cafes
[edit] Sleep As of 2008, the demand for hotel rooms continues to badly outstrip supply, resulting in some of the most expensive rooms in the world: it's difficult to find anything decent for Dhs 600 (US$200). Book at least two weeks in advance for a chance at reasonable prices, especially during the September-May high season. [edit] Budget
[edit] Mid-range
[edit] Splurge
[edit] ContactThe international code for UAE is +971, for Dubai, add a 4 afterwards for land lines. Local mobile phone numbers will start +971 50 xxx yyyy for the GSM provider etisalat and +971 55 xxx yyyy for the GSM provider du. GSM— Those with GSM phones can expect auto roaming from their home countries. As roaming fees are quite high (easily 3 USD per minute and often more for a call to Europe) and incoming calls are also charged, consider to buy a local prepaid GSM SIM card, designed especially for tourists, from one of the two cellular providers of the U.A.E.:
Using these products, calls to Europe will be charged at maximum of about 0.55 USD per minute. Incoming calls are free of charge. Phone Booths— Phone booths are located on most streets. Phone cards can be purchased from hotels and tourist shops. Internet— Internet cafes are hard to find. There is one at Computer Plaza next to Ramada Hotel in Bur Dubai. Also, the French Connection, Al Wafa Tower on Sheikh Zayed road (opposite side of road from the Dusit Hotel) has wifi access and nice cakes/pastries. Surprisingly the malls do not have internet cafes. Most hotel business centres are equipped with internet cafes, but are expensive. There is an internet cafe a 5-minute walk south from the Dubai Youth Hostel. Turn right out of the gates and walk to LuLu's Hypermarket. The cafe is located inside the food court and currently charges AED 4.00 per hour. Note that the Skype website is currently blocked however. Etisalat [39], UAE's telecom operator, offers a roaming, post paid WiFi internet connection known as iZone [40]. Most coffee shops and malls across Dubai provide this service. Prices are available on their website. Dubai International Airport (DXB) has free WiFi in the terminal. Bring your laptop with you for using free wifi at some hotels. Newspapers & Radio: Thanks to the large influx of expatriates, Dubai boasts a wide selection of English Language Newspapers and Radio Channels.
International Newspapers are also availible in most hotels and airport terminals.TodailyTodaily, a local printing house can furnish newspapers and periodicals from around the world on a daily basis. A list of the local radio stations in a variety of languages can be found online.here [edit] Stay safeLike all major metros experiencing rapid growth, Dubai has its share of problems which can be easily avoided should you follow common sense. While petty crime is hardly reported and mentioned in the news, keep an eye on your wallet or purse when in crowded areas like Naser Square or Deira. Also, don't leave your engine running and vehicle unattended when picking up takeaways or a quick supermarket run as criminal gangs have been known to drive your vehicle away and have it stripped in no time. Visitors would be wise to read up on the drug and medication policies before visiting Dubai. Narcotics are strictly prohibited from being brought into the country and even trace amounts will land you in jail for a mandatory sentence of 4 years. A long list of prescribed medications are banned and can not be brought into the country. This list is posted on the US Embassy website (for the U.A.E.). Some visitors have served sentences for not complying. Con-men are ever present in Dubai, especially the "Nigeria 419" scammers. Do not arrange meetings or entertain their requests, nor give any personal details. Should they not comply, the police will be happy to listen to them and their propositions. Eating or drinking publicly during daylight hours is an offence during Ramadan. Drivers are not always as fond of the road rules in Dubai as in other cities or countries. Particularly during the morning and afternoon rush-hours, taking a taxi, bus or abra is often a better bet than crossing busy roads, as even pedestrian crossings are not always observed. Gay and lesbian travelers should be particularly careful, the maximum penalty for homosexual acts in the United Arab Emirates is one year in jail but it is hardly enforced. They should be safe as long as they behave in public. For women; check when going to the old town on Fridays. This can be an unpleasant experience because it is a holiday, the streets are packed with men. Public display of affection and Kissing is an offense which could lead to up to 6 months in jail. Tourists are encouraged to wear modest clothes. All this being said, Dubai is considered to be one of the safest cities in the world. [edit] CopeSheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, is a non-profit community service organization that has been set up to bring down barriers between people of different nationalities, and to help understand the traditions, customs and religion of the UAE. The SMCCU, under the banner, Open Doors Open Minds organizes educational and social events, that allows its clients to exchange ideas, pursue learning and share ways to reach understanding for their companies, their families, their countries and the world.SMCCU Some of the activities that are offered at the center include:
[edit] Get out
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